Power of the Bishop Pair

It is always advantageous when you have two Bishops working together.   This phenomenon, known in the chess world as the Bishop Pair, has been proven in countless grandmaster battles.  This post is an example.

DAVID JANOWSKI vs. FRITZ SAMISCH
Marienbad, Germany, 1925

1. d4, Nf6
2. Nf3, e6
3. Bg5, c5
4. e3, Nc6
5. Nd2, b6
6. c3, Bb7
7. Bd3, cxd4
8. exd4, Be7
9. Nc4, 0-0
10. Qc2, Qc7
11. h4, h6
12. Qd2, Ng4

After 12.....hxg5 13. hxg5, White's attack would be devastating along the h-file.

13. Bf4, d6
14. Ne3, Nxe3
15. Qxe3, h5
16. Rh3, e5
17. dxe5, Nxe5
18. Nxe5, dxe5
19. Bxe5, Bd6
20. Qh6!! ....

 Black resigns.  White's Queen cannot be captured because of the threat Rg3+.

If 20....f6, then White's attack would be relentless:  21. Qh7 Kf7, 22. Bg6+ Ke6, 23. Bxd6 Kxd6, 24. 0-0-0 ...

Amazing game.

To view the game in PGN format, you may visit  Janowski vs. Samisch.

The Power of Two Bishops

Garry Kasparov demonstrates for us the power of the Bishop Pair.  Two Bishops working in tandem constitute one of mightiest forces in chess.

G. KASPAROV vs. J. SPEELMAN
Barcelona, 1989

1. d4, d6
2. e4, g6
3. c4, e5

An attempt by Black to destroy White's central pawn structure.

4. Nf3, exd4
5. Nxd4, Bg7
6. Nc3, Nc6
7. Be3, Nge7
8. h4!?, h6
9. Be2, f5
10. exf5, Nxf5
11. Nxf5, Bxf5
12. Qd2, Qd7
13. 0-0, 0-0-0
14. b4!, Nxb4?!

Black took the poisoned pawn.  Now the fight tension is increased.

15. Nb5!, Nc2

Black does not like 15....Bxa1, 16. Qxb4 Bg7, 17. Nxa7+....

16. Bf3! d5
17. Bxd5, Nxa1
18. Nxa7+, Kb8
19. Qb4! ....

Now, White threatens mate at b7.

19. .... Qxd5

Black has no choice.  If 19....b6, then 20. Bxb6 cxb6, 21. Qxb6+ with a mating attack.  If 19....c6, then 20. Bxc6 Qf7, 21. Bf4+ Ka8, 22. Qa5! and mate next move.

20. cxd5, Nc2
21. Qa5, Nxe3
22. fxe3, Rhe8
23. Nb5, Rxd5

If 23....Re7, then 24. d6! Rxd6, 25. Nxd6 cxd6, 26. Qd8+ and White's attack becomes overwhelming.

24. Qxc7+ Ka8
25. Qa5+, Resigns

Black loses after 25....Kb8, 26. Qa7+ Kc8, 27. Qa8+ Kd7, 28. Qxb7+ Ke6, 29. Qc6+ and White captures either Rook.

The Power of Two Bishops

The Bishop Pair is one of the most powerful weapons in chess arsenal. In the hands of a master, two efficiently coordinating Bishops can create havoc along open files.

JANOWSKI vs. SCHALLOPP
Nuremberg 1896

Queen's Gambit Accepted

1. d4, d5
2. c4, dxc4
3. Nf3, c5
4. e3, cxd4
5. exd4, Bg4
6. Bxc4 ....

White threatens 7. Bxf7 Kxf7, 8. Ne5+.

6. .... e6
7. Qa4+, Nc6

White readily exploits the absence of Black's Bishop along the a4-e8 diagonal.  If Black replies 7....Nd7, there follows 8. Ne5 N8f6, 9. Bg5! Bf5, 10. Nxd7 Qxd7, 11. Bb5 winning the Queen.

8. Ne5, Qxd4
9. Nxc6, Qe4+
10. Be3, bxc6

Of course not 10....Qxc6 because of 11. Bb5 winning the Queen.

11. Nc3, Qxg2
12. Bd5!! ....

This beauty of a move drives off the Black Queen and spearheads an attack on the opponent King.  Black is obliged to take down the Bishop.

12. .... exd5
13. Qxc6+, Kd8

If 13....Ke7, then 14. Nxd5+ Kd8, 15. Qxa8 and Black can resign.

14. Qxa8+, Kd7
15. Qb7+, Ke6
16. Qc6+, Bd6
17. Bf4, Resigns

There is no way to prevent 18. Qxd6+.  If 17....Qxh1+, 18. Kd2 Qxa1, 19. Qxd6+ Kf5, 20. Qe5+ Kg6, 21. Qg5 mate.